Location Specific Processing (LSP) is an automated process that utilizes feed-forward metrology data to create custom correction profiles for each substrate processed. The trimming process includes two steps. Firstly, a map of the film thickness (or patterned feature depth, device parameter, etc.) is used to calculate the corrective parameters, such as mechanical, electrical or optical properties. Secondly, the substrate is processed with the scan speed of the substrate controlled to provide a variable process amount as a function of position on the substrate. Thus, thickness variation, for example, can be reduced with sub-nanometer resolution (in some specific cases, control to within a few angstroms can be achieved) resulting in improved device parametric and/or wafer yield. Location Specific Processing (LSP) Corrective Etch technology is a production proven method to precisely compensate for upstream and downstream processing variations.
In FEOL (Front-End-of-Line) semiconductor processing, metal-containing materials are desirable for use as transistor gate electrodes in future generations of electronic devices. Recently, the preferred methodology for integrating HK/MG (High-k/Metal Gate) is a “gate-last” process and the concern in the gate-last process is its non-uniformity caused by CMP (chemical-mechanical planarization). The metal gate formation can involve some critical CMP steps.